Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Hi everyone, nothing "NEW" to share with you today,just a bunch of random things and thoughtssmooshed into one post rather than spread outthroughout my usual waffling.

Firstly, I was tinkering with my profileand replaced the photo of my cat Batmanwith a picture of myself...Well, I am not very keen to electronics,I thought that I could swap out one picand the other one of my "sister" Rita, the chihuahuawould still be there, but she is gone!!No more doggie in your followers block ladies,it is now ME!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Secondly, wouldn't you LOVE to have your Valentine's Day cards be delivered with a wonderful Valentine's Day themed postal cancellation???Here are a list of loving cities who participate in Valentines Remailings!!

Bliss, NY 14024 -- Postmaster Rosemary Phillippi (585-322-7740) who runs this one-person office says that last year she applied a special pictorial cancellation for Valentine's Day on more than 2,000 envelopes. Her average daily cancellations are 200. This year she will personally apply the unique postmark depicting a cloud bearing the inscription, "Love on a Cloud." The postmark also depicts a shooting heart with stars along the top and bottom. This postmark is available from February 14 through March 14, 2004, only. The media contact is Maureen Marion (315.452.3582).

Loveland, CO 80538 -- Loveland Information Clerk Bob Tholl (970-663-3010) says customers can receive a Cupid cachet, love verse and pictorial heart-shaped Loveland postmark. Loveland normally receives an average of 35,000 cancellation requests per day throughout Valentine season, making it the world's largest Valentine remailing program. Loveland receives more than 200,000 Valentines annually from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Senior citizen volunteers do the hand-stamping of the Cupid cachet and love verse.

Loveville, MD 20656 - Postmaster Eva Hall (301-475-5243), who operates the one-person Post Office in rural Southern Maryland, says her daily volume of 1,200 cancellations increases six-fold to 7,200 daily a week prior to Valentine's Day. During this time Hall brings in a clerk whose sole job is to hand-cancel Valentine cards with a unique postmark that depicts Cupid shooting an arrow through a heart. The Cupid postmark is available February 1-14 each year.

Loving, NM 88256 - Postmaster Charlotte Brewer (505-745-3611) says that Loving's special pictorial postmark, available February 1-14, consists of lovebirds sitting on top of a heart over the inscription "Valentine's Day Station." Loving is a small community with a population of 1,400 located near Carlsbad Caverns. Postmarks increase from 500 on an average day to 4,000 before Valentine's Day.

Romance, AR 72136 -- Postmaster Nancy Schnebelen (501-556-5911) reports that two of approximately ten weddings held in the lobby last year were on Valentine's Day. Schnebelen says mail volume increases dramatically during the spring months of April through June as a result of couples wanting the "Romance" cancellation on their wedding invitations. The Romance Post Office postmarks about 400 letters on a given day. Two weeks prior to Valentine's Day that increases three-fold to about 1,300 daily. When necessary, Schnebelen schedules her postmaster relief to assist her in hand-canceling each special piece of "romantic" mail. This year's cancellation portrays a dove trailing a ribbon from its beak, with the ribbon's inscription: "Love is in the Air."

Valentine, NE 69201 - Postmaster Rick Bordeaux (402-376-1540). A special postmark featuring the words "With Love on Valentine's Day" is available February 1-15. He reports that Valentine's daily average of 3,500 postmarks each day increases to 20,000 daily two weeks prior to Valentine's Day.

Valentine, TX 79854 -- Postmaster Maria E. Carrasco (432-467-2912) operates the Love Station of Texas. Since 1993, students from grades 7 through 12 compete to see whose artwork will be used on that year's special cancellation stamp, and each year the cancellations has been different. Carrasco, with the help of her postmaster replacement, will hand- stamp cards and letters February 1-14. In 1994, a record 39,000 pieces from all over the world received the Valentine postmark. On an average day Carrasco postmarks approximately 100 cards and letters. Two weeks prior to Valentine's Day, that number increases to 1,000 to 2,000 daily.

Valentines, VA 23887 -- Postmaster Denise Evans (434-577-2456), who runs the one-person Post Office, says her daily average of 100 cancellations jumps about 400 times to 40,000 two weeks prior to Valentine's Day. During this time, Evans brings in her postmaster relief for the sole purpose of hand canceling Valentine cards with a unique postmark depicting a red heart with several flowers around the heart. The red heart postmark is only available mid-January through Feb. 14 each year.

Remember to mail early so you don't miss the "cut-off,"international mail, be extra cautious of time constraints,if it takes 3 weeks for your mail to arrive,then sending it to Loveland a week before Valentines Day isn't going to work out, lol.

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This is a card I made for Tracey, my MDUC teamie, that I did not have the chance to blog. It was meant to go into about 7 challenges, but each passing day saw another challenge deadline missed and before I knew it, I just never blogged it!! My Christmas schedule was insane!! Nevertheless, think back to the "nontraditional Christmas colours" challenges a few months back, this is when I created the card. Basic Grey papers, Magnolia stamps from Kellies shop, as is that brilliant wire heart, the tulle and velvet rickrack are from my stash, she's coloured in distress inks and dosed with a fair amount of gold stickles. The pressies were pieced with BG papers and hemp was added around the boxes. I wonder what's inside!!?

This little gift bag was made as a last minute gift for my favorite postal clerk, thus the envelope!! I was going to enter it in the slew of last minute present challenges and a colour challenge, but the same story, not enough hours in the day to create, work, blog, work, work, eat, maybe even some sleep... The papers are Basic Grey, the stamps came from Kellie's shop, the DP is Basic Grey, the doiley was the beginning of a very long phase in my crafting, they are hard to resist, everythings cut out and popped up on foam dots, coloured in distress inks and coated in Stickles. Hemp, lace and ribbon are from my stash, the charm is from Blue Moon Beads.

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I actually have more to blog, but I think I will give this a breakand save some for Thursday or Friday!!Tomorrow I have a card to share for the new Creative Inspirations challenge,and hopefully I can get some awards passed outin that posting too :)

8 comments:

hmmm, I just checked and I still have a cheerful little pup as a follower, not a lovely Stephanne! It is a fabulous photo you little stunner :) Love the card and gift bag, Tilda is coloured in my favourite shade of green!Can't wait to see what other goodies you have been keeping from us.

Stephanne, It's about time we got to see your gorgeous face, you are a stunner and I agree with Debbie, it is so nice to put a face to a name. Love your fabulous Christmas projects and look forward to the reveal at the end of the week. Have a good one, hugs Jodie from Oz

WOW Stephanne, I love your Christmas creations! I love the non-traditional card - just fabulous with the papers you've used and that gorgeously coloured Tilda. Your little gift bag is just awesome!! I can see doilies are 'in' at the moment, I may have to dig mine out! I love the colours on Tilda and that adorable envelope! I have both these stamps, but haven't got round to using them yet. Maybe next Christmas!! Have a lovely weekend, keeleyxx